Authorities 'had 15 contacts' with Columbine killers

Friday 27 February 2004 08.32 EST
First published on Friday 27 February 2004 08.32 EST

Relatives of victims of the Columbine high school shootings have been angered by an official report, released yesterday, which revealed that authorities had at least 15 contacts with the killers before the deadliest school massacre in US history.

The report, by Ken Salazar, Colorado state's attorney general, revealed that he was investigating whether authorities had attempted to cover up what they knew about the 1999 massacre.

Mr Salazar told a press conference in Golden, Colorado, that his investigation was incomplete, but added that he did not see signs of negligence by the Jefferson County sheriff's office in missing warning signs about Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17.

Almost five years after Harris and Klebold killed 12 students and a teacher before taking their own lives at the school, near Littleton, investigators have opened their evidence to the public.

The display of evidence included the murder weapons, bullet fragments, and the chairs and tables at which the victims were gunned down.

Almost everything found in the school, as well as in the homes and cars of the killers, was on display in clear plastic evidence bags in two rooms at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, north of Littleton.

Relatives of victims and survivors of the attack saw much of the evidence for the first time during a private viewing on Wednesday.

Yesterday, authorities also released a 94-minute compilation of videos made by Harris and Klebold before the shootings, much of it showing them brandishing weapons and smashing machinery with sledgehammers.

Messages from Harris's website were also released, including repeated threats to shoot and beat "the people I hate".

The website is central to Mr Salazar's investigation, which is looking at work done by the former sheriff's deputy, John Hicks. Mr Hicks left the department in 2000, and now lives in South Carolina.

Authorities have revealed that an anonymous tip in 1997 led Mr Hicks to the site, which revealed that the two teens had built pipe bombs. It said: "Now our only problem is to find the place that will be 'ground zero'."

A warrant to search Harris' home was issued after a pipe bomb was found on a bike track, but the warrant was never used and the search never took place.

Mr Salazar said that his team was still trying to find a file detailing the search warrant. "We are still looking for that file," he said. Asked whether he thought there had been a cover-up, he said: "I do not know today."

Tom Mauser, whose son Daniel was killed at the school, said he wanted more details about why the search had not taken place. "If we're going to learn lessons, that's a key part of it," he said. "Why did law enforcement stop where it did?"

Mr Salazar said that his staff had this week interviewed two former sheriff's officials, and promised to issue a supplemental report.

"In the end, none of the many efforts to open up the Columbine records, including today's activity, will mean much beyond passing curiosity if we cannot learn from this tragedy," he said.

However, relatives said that Mr Salazar's report had failed to give them answers. "This raises more questions than it answers," Dawn Anna, whose daughter Lauren Townsend died at Columbine, said. "I would disagree that there was no negligence."